Susan (Giever) Melcher
Susan Giever (Feb 14, 1857 - Dec 12, 1949) was born February 14, 1857 to Conrad Giever and Anna Kanive in Medernach, Luxembourg. Conrad Giever immigrated to America with his wife and several of their children: Anton, Michael, Anna, Susanna, and Jean. They arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 30, 1878 aboard the ship SS Vaderland from Antwerp. They traveled in Steerage for the purpose of immigrating to America. She married John Melcher on June 4, 1882 in Ashton, Iowa. Together they had eight children: Mary Ann, Susan Margaret, William, Helen Maria, Emma Elizabeth, Anna, Cecelia, Anthony. Susan worked for her sister the first summer when a baby was born. Her brother, Anton, got her a job with an English family in Sibley, Iowa next. She couldn't speak english and they couldn't speak German. She learned a little bit of English by using books of the children and studying with them at night. her weages, $1.50 per week, were collected every Saturday night by her brother to help pay for his farm purchase. He later gave it back when she got married. Susan's daughters, Cecilia and Anna, and her husband John all died of diptheria within a week in october of 1896. In the 1940 Census, she is recorded as living in Gilman Township, Osceola County, Iowa with her two adult daughters, Susan and Helen, as well as two of her grandchildren, Robert and John, who came to live with her after their parents divorce. Susan died in Ashton, Iowa on December 12, 1949 and is buried in the Saint Mary's Cemetery. House After they married, they moved to the farm purchased by their dad for $3 per acre in West Holman Township, Osceola County, Iowa and also planted 10 acres of trees. Later they bought the 80 acres north for $8 per acre. This farm remained in the Melcher estate until the late 1970's when it was purchased by Don Larsen for ___. They built the house in Ashton in 1895. Part of the lumber came from the old school house that was destroyed by a tornado. Today the house belongs to Tony Melcher of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Article Feb 1949 Ashton Woman, 92, Stays Happy In Spite Of Physical Handicaps Even the most popular girl in town has reason to envy Mrs. Susan Melcher of Ashton. For Mrs. Melcher--who was 92 years young on Valentine's Day--has a stream of visitors calling at her comfortable home nearly every day of the week. What does she talk about when all these friends and relatives call? Nearly any subject her guests choose si fair bait for this tiny lade, for, although knitting has been her hobby for many years, she now prefers listening to the radio, and can converse on current subjects with an ease to be envied by politicians. Blind for nearly 40 years, and now partially deaf, Mrs. Melcher's callers are announced by her daughter, Sue, who lives with her mother. Once seated, guests find that Mrs. Melcher recalls previous conversations with ease, and speaks of them again in a fine, quiet voice. At the moment, Mrs. Melcher is eagerly looking forward to spring weather, when she ventures in the yard with a hatchet to cut twigs and small branches for kindling wood. Until a few years ago, she also cared for a flock of chickens, unhampered by her loss of sight. Always a thrifty woman, Mrs. Melcher's sense of economy enabled her to care for her children when her late husband died of diphtheria many years ago. Until a few years ago, two grandsons lived with her and attended Ashton schools. She has six living children. Sue is at home with her mother, Elizabeth (Mrs. J.H. Breuer), also at Ashton; Helen, who is housekeeper for Father Berger at Sibley; Sister M. Albertine at Mount Saint Frances, Dubuque; William F. Melcher, who farms at Woodstock, Minn., and Anthony M. Melcher, who is a city salesman for the American Radiator and Standard equipment at Minneapolis, Minn. She also has 16 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Susan_giever_2.jpg Gievers.jpg|Susan Melcher, Back Row, Second from Right John_Melcher_Susan_Giever_house_and_barn_Ashton2.jpg|John Melcher Jr. and Susan Giever in front of their Ashton house John_Melcher_Susan_Giever_house_and_barn_Ashton1.jpg|John Melcher Jr. (probably on left), Unknown, and Susan Giever in Ashton John and Susan Giever Melcher 1.jpg John and Susan Giever Melcher 2.jpg Susan Giever Melcher 1.jpg Susan Giever Melcher 2.jpg Coat_of_arms_medernach_luxbrg.png|Coat of Arms of Medernach, Luxembourg Grandma Melcher, Grandma Breuer, Nanny, Leo - John Breuer, Sue - Helen - Mother, Mary Giever Schrader.jpg|Susan Melcher in Middle Row, First Woman from Left Bob Grandma Melcher JD.jpg Giever Family.jpg Susan_(Giever)_Melcher_&_Family.jpg|Susan Melcher Family, Top: Elizabeth, Will, Sue, Sister Albertine (Mary Ann) Bottom: Anthony, Susan, Helen References "United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDWY-4X7 : accessed 24 May 2016), Susanna Guiver, 30 Mar 1878; citing Germans to America Passenger Data file, 1850-1897, Ship Vaderland, departed from Antwerp, arrived in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, NAID identifier 1746067, National Archives at College Park, Maryland. Proof of Parents "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934", index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJDS-LRGV : accessed 26 Sep 2014), John Melcher in entry for John Melcher and Susan G*N, 1882. "Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XJDV-1RF : accessed 26 Sep 2014), John Melcher in entry for John Melcher and Susan Griven, 04 Jun 1882; citing , Osceola, Iowa, United States; FHL microfilm 1434941. "Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1800-1882," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-18412-63223-81?cc=1908535 : accessed 24 May 2016), 096 - 2 Jan to 31 Dec 1878 > image 105 of 796; citing NARA microfilm publication M425 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). Category:John and Susan Melcher Family Category:Conrad and Anna Giever Family